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Speculation about AV being let go

In light of all the speculation about AV being let go (only to immediately resurface with the Habs no doubt) I wanted to see who people thought really bore responsibility for the Canucks' season and playoffs.

I think it's really 50/50 between AV and Gillis. Gillis could not provide AV with the offensive players he needed and he also badly misjudged their scoring strength when trading away Hodgson.

However, the Pahlsson trade had AV written all over it, and that is the real reason why CoHo had to go AT THE DEADLINE when it otherwise makes no sense at all. So even in personnel moves, AV seems to have dictated what he needed to make a serious run in the playoffs, and he failed miserably.

When we look at the season, there were red flags: slow start, no training camp for many veterans, unmotivated lineups, endless line juggling, uninspired play against weaker opponents, etc.

When we look at the end of the season and the playoffs, we saw a wholesale change in the Canucks' identity and way of playing the game. It failed badly.

Given that Gillis wanted an offensive team and got instead a boring 1-0 team that failed to score, can AV really have fulfilled the GMs expressed wishes? I'm sure Gillis would have been in a forgiving mood if his coach had gone against the team's stated MO and WON the Stanley Cup, but for AV to completely change the MO and LOSE? Not a great position for him to be in.

Still, the reality is that Gillis failed in assessing and overvaluing players he thinks of as "skilled" when they lack the ability to score or generate offence beyond the Sedins.

The responsibility for this agonizing season has to be split evenly, 50/50, but I think only one of them will take the fall, and it looks like it is going to be AV.

Your thoughts?

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."

I blame Gillis for poor offseason and deadline moves. And the players for sucking in the playoffs.

If they're not good enough it's not really on them for just being themselves, it's on Gillis for picking them up.

Most of the players gave exactly what they had: which didn't cut it. Now Gillis has to realize that.

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."

I blame Gillis more than AV. AV tried his best with the cards he was dealt, but lack of scoring depth hurt the team and that's where Gillis comes in.

#3in5

<3

^ How I feel about the Colts right about now ^

“When I was released, a lot of my friends were like, ‘I guess you are probably going to go to the Patriots to play with Tom Brady,’ and I'm like 'you all must not know about that kid down in Indy.’” Andre Johnson said of Andrew Luck

If they're not good enough it's not really on them for just being themselves, it's on Gillis for picking them up.

Most of the players gave exactly what they had: which didn't cut it. Now Gillis has to realize that.

If a team is good enough to win the Presidents they should be good enough to win in the 1st round.

I know, I know blah blah overachieving

Winning two Presidents trophies and getting to game 7 of the finals wasn't a fluke Ink, losing in the 1st round was more of a fluke than that.

Gillis himself is on record as saying the playoffs are called differently than the regular season. So, great, we have two regular season trophies. Gillis is great at building regular season teams. We know that. But is that satisfying? Not really. I actually hate that the game changes so radically in the playoffs but that's the way it is and everyone knows it. He lived for two seasons off the Sedins' PP and died by the same sword when they either didn't get calls, when everyone figured the out, or when Daniel was not there. We had no scoring depth and it is 100% on Gillis for being so stubborn in denying what everyone can now see clearly (though it took years of denial for some fans to see) how thin we were offensively.

Last edited by ink; 05-03-2012 at 11:13 AM.

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."

I blame Gillis more than AV. AV tried his best with the cards he was dealt, but lack of scoring depth hurt the team and that's where Gillis comes in.

And you have always disliked AV. Sometimes I think they both need to go so we can get an independent mind in to assess and make changes.

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."

And you have always disliked AV. Sometimes I think they both need to go so we can get an independent mind in to assess and make changes.

AV certainly didn't win over any fans when he put Raymond on the 1st line and gave Cody/Kass low ice time. But, i'm with you. It may be time for a new outlook, some fresh faces.

#3in5

<3

^ How I feel about the Colts right about now ^

“When I was released, a lot of my friends were like, ‘I guess you are probably going to go to the Patriots to play with Tom Brady,’ and I'm like 'you all must not know about that kid down in Indy.’” Andre Johnson said of Andrew Luck

So were just ignoring the fact we won the Western Conference last year? That doesn't count as playoff success?

We didn't dominate anyone except the Sharks, who are genetically programmed to be dominated.

Our collapse against the Hawks was awful, and if not for the one legendary Kesler series, the Preds might have knocked us out too.

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."

And you have always disliked AV. Sometimes I think they both need to go so we can get an independent mind in to assess and make changes.

AV certainly didn't win over any fans when he put Raymond on the 1st line and gave Cody/Kass low ice time. But, i'm with you. It may be time for a new outlook, some fresh faces.

Especially after Gillis' stubborn post season press conference. Right after seeing a fail on almost all levels he has the nerve to say its ok we're fine. lol. In this case I really hate the status quo.

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."

Kinda looks like a done deal, which is unfair to AV, considering he was often forced to experiment just to get all the mismatched parts to produce.

"When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great," Kobe Bryant said. "You know what you can do and what you can't do. In America, it's a big problem for us because we're not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That's why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that's the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs' roster is European players, because they have more skill."